Wahl Professional Animal Arco Cordless Pet Clipper Kit

A small cordless clipper with an adjustable 5 in 1 blade and two swappable batteries, for trims and finishing work.

Who it suits

Faces, ears, paws and light trims on small and medium dogs, and owners who want a light, cordless clipper.

Key facts

• Cordless, weighs 270 g and comes with two NiMH battery packs and a charging stand (Wahl UK)
• Adjustable 5 in 1 blade covering blade sizes #9, #10, #15, #30 and #40, with a quick release blade system (The Spruce Pets, https://web.archive.org/web/20250408171603/https://www.thesprucepets.com/best-dog-clippers-5081297; Wahl UK)
• Four attachment combs included (Wahl UK)
• Wahl UK gives 60 minutes run time per battery and a 75 minute charge; The Spruce Pets gives 80 minutes (Wahl UK)
• Wahl UK says it suits feet, face and finish work on all dog breeds and light body clipping on small and medium dogs (Wahl UK)

What reviewers say

The Spruce Pets: The Spruce Pets tested 21 clippers on real dogs (updated January 2025) and named the Arco its top choice. Testers found it easy to hold and move, and it gave an even, smooth cut through medium coats without heating up. It was not the quietest clipper they tried, but one tester’s noise sensitive dog did not protest, and it did not vibrate much.

We did not test it ourselves.

Pros

• Light and cordless, easy to manoeuvre
• Did not heat up in The Spruce Pets’ test
• Adjustable blade plus four combs, and a spare battery

Cons

• Not the quietest clipper tested, per The Spruce Pets
• Wahl rates it for light body clipping, so a big, thick coat may need a stronger clipper

Good to know

• Do not shave a double coated dog. The AKC says shaving that coat can make a dog susceptible to heat stroke and damage how the hair grows back (https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/is-it-ok-to-shave-your-dog/).
• Let your dog sniff the clipper switched off, then hear it running at a distance, before the first trim.
• If you nick the skin, switch off, apply gentle pressure and call your vet for advice (https://www.webvet.com/using-dog-clippers/).